NBC commentators Joan and Melissa Rivers raved over Fakih's bodyand her elegant walk during the pageant, and an on-stage stumble proved only to be a minor bump on the path to national recognition.

"My family helped pay for a lot of the expenses. I also
had to sell my blue 1998 Ford Taurus," Fakih said in November about entering the pageant. "I sold it for $1,200 and used
$1,100 for the pageant. With the other $100, I took my mom out for
sushi."

She told about having to sell her car during a pageant interview on stage. She was also asked during interview competition if she believes birth control should be paid for by health insurance. She said she believed it
should.